Verb Prefixes There are three kinds of verb prefixes in German: separable (trennbar), inseparable (untrennbar), and dual prefixes (usually a preposition) that can be both. Separable prefixes are stressed (betont) in their pronunciation; inseparable prefixes are unstressed (unbetont). n this verb prefix chart, !e have divided the prefixes into their three cate"ories. #y addin" various prefixes to a base verb, German can produce ne! meanin"s: kommen $ abkommen (di"ress), ankommen (arrive), bekommen ("et), entkommen (escape). (%n"lish does the same thin", usin" Greek and &atin prefixes: form $ deform, inform, perform, etc.) 'no!in" the basic meanin" of a verb prefix can be helpful in learnin" German vocabulary, but not all prefixes have a specific meanin", nor does each prefix al!ays have the same meanin". (or instance, kno!in" the meanin" of the prefix ver) may or may not help you understand the meanin" of verbs like verschlafen (to oversleep) or versprechen (to promise). The prefix meanin"s can be interestin" and helpful, but they are no substitute for learnin" vocabulary.*** 1 Separable Prefixes Trennbare +r,fixe Prefix Meanin !xamples ab) from abblenden (screen, fade out, dim -li"hts.) abdanken (abdicate, resi"n) abkommem ("et a!ay) abnehmen (pick up; decrease, reduce) abschaffen (abolish, do a!ay !ith) ab"iehen (deduct, !ithdra!, print -photos.) an) at, to anbauen (cultivate, "ro!, plant) anbrinen (fasten, install, display) anfanen (be"in, start) anhnen (attach) ankommen (arrive) anschauen (look at, examine) auf) on, out, up, un) aufbauen (build up, put up, add on) aufdrehen (turn on, unscre!, !ind up) auffallen (stand out, be noticeable) aufeben ("ive up; check -lu""a"e.) aufkommen (arise, sprin" up; bear -costs.) aufschlie#en (unlock; develop -land.) aus) out, from ausbilden (educate, train) ausbreiten (extend, spread out) ausfallen (fail, fall out, be canceled) ausehen ("o out) aussehen (appear, look -like.) auswechseln (exchan"e, replace -parts.) bei) alon", !ith beibrinen (teach; inflict) beikommen ("et hold of, deal !ith) beischlafen (have sexual relations !ith) beiset"en (bury, inter) beitraen (contribute -to.) beitreten (/oin) ein) in, into, in!ard, do!n einatmen (inhale) einberufen (conscript, draft; convene, summon) einbrechen (break in; break do!n0throu"h, cave in) eindrinen (force entry into, penetrate, besie"e) einfallen (collapse; occur to, remind) einehen (enter, sink in, be received) fort) a!ay, forth, on!ard fortbilden (continue education) fortbrinen (take a!ay -for repair., post) fortpflan"en (propa"ate, reproduce; be transmitted) fortset"en (continue) 2 forttreiben (drive a!ay) mit) alon", !ith, co) mitarbeiten (cooperate, collaborate) mitbestimmen (co)determine, have a say in) mitbrinen (brin" alon") mitfahren ("o0travel !ith, "et a lift) mitmachen (/oin in, "o alon" !ith) mitteilen (inform, communicate) nach) after, copy, re) nachahmen (imitate, emulate, copy) nachbessern (retouch) nachdrucken (reprint) nachf$llen (refill, top up0off) nachehen (follo!, "o after; run slo! -clock.) nachlassen (slacken, loosen) vor) before, for!ard, pre), pro) vorbereiten (prepare) vorbeuen (prevent; bend for!ard) vorbrinen (propose, brin" up; brin" for!ard, produce) vorf$hren (present, perform) vorehen (proceed, "o on, "o first) vorleen (present, submit) we) a!ay, off webleiben (stay a!ay) wefahren (leave, drive off, sail a!ay) wefallen (be discontinued, cease to apply, be omitted) wehaben (have "ot done, have "ot done) wenehmen (take a!ay) wetauchen (disappear) "u) shut0closed, to, to!ards, upon "ubrinen (brin"0take to) "udecken (cover up, tuck in) "uerkennen (besto!, confer -on.) "ufahren (drive0ride to!ards) "ufassen (make a "rab for) "ulassen (authori1e, license) "unehmen (increase, "ain, add !ei"ht) "ur$ck) back, re) "ur$ckblenden (flash back -to.) "ur$ckehen ("o back, return) "ur$ckschlaen (hit0strike back) "ur$ckschrecken (shrink back0from, recoil, shy a!ay) "ur$ckset"en (reverse, mark do!n, put back) "ur$ckweisen (refuse, repulse, turn back0a!ay) "usammen) to"ether "usammenbauen (assemble) "usammenfassen (summari1e) "usammenklappen (fold up, shut) "usammenkommen (meet, come to"ether) "usammenset"en (seat0put to"ether) "usammensto#en (collide, clash) %&'!( 2ll of the separable verbs form their past participle !ith e), as in "ur$ckeanen ("ur$ckehen). 3 Separable Prefixes Trennbare +r,fixe Prefix Meanin !xamples da) there dableiben (stay behind) dalassen (leave there) dabei) there dabeibleiben (stay0stick !ith it) dabeisit"en (sit in on) daran) on0to it daraneben (sacrifice) daranmachen (set about it, "et do!n to it) empor) up, up!ard, over emporarbeiten (!ork one3s !ay up) emporblicken (raise one3s eyes up, look up) emporraen (to!er, rise above0over) enteen) a"ainst, to!ards enteenarbeiten (oppose, !ork a"ainst) enteenkommen (approach, come to!ards) entlan) alon" entlanehen ("o0!alk alon") entlanschrammen (scrape by) fehl) a!ry, !ron" fehlehen ("o astray, err) fehlschlaen ("o !ron", come to nothin") fest) firm, fixed festlaufen (run a"round) festleen (establish, fix) festsit"en (be stuck, clin") een$ber) across from, opposite, con) een$berlieen (face, be opposite) een$berstellen (confront, compare) leich) e4ual leichkommen (e4ual, match) leichset"en (e4uate, treat as e4uivalent) her) from, here herfahren (come0"et here) herstellen (manufacture, produce; establish) herauf) up from, out of heraufarbeiten (!ork one3s !ay up) heraufbeschwren (evoke, "ive rise to) 4 heraus) from, out of herauskrieen ("et out of, find out) herausfordern (challen"e, provoke) hin) to, to!ards, there hinarbeiten (!ork to!ards) hinfahren ("o0drive there) hinwe) a!ay, over hinweehen (disre"ard, pass over) hinwekommen (dismiss, "et over) hin"u) in addition hinbekommen ("et in addition) hin"uf$en (add, enclose) los) a!ay, start losbellen (start barkin") losfahren (set0drive off) statt) ) ) stattfinden (take place, be held -event.) statteben ("rant) "usammen) to"ether, to pieces "usammenarbeiten (co)operate, collaborate) "usammeneben (mix -in"redients.) "usammenhauen (smash to pieces) "usammenheften (staple to"ether) "usammenkrachen (crash -do!n.) "usammenrei#en (pull oneself to"ether) "wischen) bet!een "wischenblenden (blend in; insert -film, music.) "wischenlanden (stop over -flyin".) %&'!( 2ll of the separable verbs form their past participle !ith e), as in "ur$ckeanen ("ur$ckehen). )omments( Separable Prefix Verbs German separable prefix verbs can be compared to %n"lish verbs like 5call up,5 5clear out5 or 5fill in.5 6hile in %n"lish you can say either 57lear out your dra!ers5 or 57lear your dra!ers out,5 in German the separable prefix is almost al!ays at the end, as in the second %n"lish example. 2 German example !ith anrufen: *eute ruft er seine +reundin an, 8 Today he3s callin" his "irlfriend (up). This applies to most 5normal5 German sentences, but in some cases (infinitive forms or in dependent clauses) the 5separable5 prefix does not separate. 5 -nseparable Prefixes Untrennbare Prfixe Prefix Meanin !xamples be) like English be- makes verb take a direct object (acc. s, befinden (be located) befolen (follo!) befreunden (befriend) beenen (meet) bekommen ("et) bemerken (notice, remark) emp) sense, receive empfanen (receive) empfehlen (recommend) empfinden (feel) ent) a!ay from English de-!dis- entarten (de"enerate) entbehren (miss, do !ithout) entdecken (discover) entfallen (elude, slip) entfernen (remove, take out) entkalken (decalcify) entkleiden (disrobe, undress) entkommen (escape, "et a!ay) entlassen (dischar"e, release) entstehen (ori"inate, be formed0created) entwerten (devalue, cancel) er) fatal, dead erhnen (han", execute) erschiessen (shoot dead) ertrinken (dro!n) like English re- s, erinnern (remember) erkennen (reco"ni1e) erholen (recover, relax) e) ) ) ebrauchen (use, make use of) edenken (commemorate, intend) efallen (like) ehren (belon" to) elanen (arrive at) eloben (vo!) enesen (recover, recuperate) estalten (shape, form) estehen (confess) ewhren ("rant, "ive, offer) miss) English mis- missachten (disre"ard, disdain) missbrauchen (abuse, misuse) misstrauen (mistrust) missverstehen (misunderstand) ver) bad, a!ry English mis- verachten (despise) verbilden (miseducate) 6 verderben ("o bad, spoil) s, verfahren ("o astray, "et lost) verkommen ("o to ruin, become run do!n) verschlafen (oversleep) lose, a!ay0out verdrnen (drive out) verduften (lose its aroma) verlassen (leave, abandon) verlieren (lose) English for- verbieten (forbid) vereben (for"ive) veressen (for"et) 999 verbinden (banda"e, link, tie) verr#ern (enlar"e) verhaften (arrest) versprechen (promise) voll): full, complete vollenden (complete, finish) vollf$hren (execute, perform) vollstrecken (enforce, execute) :%&'!( Some verbal expressions !ith voll treat voll as an adverb rather than a prefix, and are spelled !ith the adverb voll separated from the verb, even in the infinitive form. %xamples include: voll drhnen (dope0tank up), voll essen ("or"e oneself), voll machen (fill -up.). "er) collapse, shatter, shred "erbrechen (shatter) "erreissen (rip up, shred) "erstren (destroy) %&'!( nseparable)prefix verbs do not add the normal past participle prefix e) in the perfect tenses. See the examples belo!. )omments( -nseparable Prefix Verbs There are verbs in %n"lish that are constructed and used much like German inseparable)prefix verbs: contend, extend, pretend, and intend are all based on the verb 5tend.5 2 similar example in German is the verb finden (find). #y addin" various inseparable prefixes, German alters the meanin" of finden to create ne! meanin"s: sich befinden (be located), empfinden (feel), or erfinden (invent). 2s you can see, many common German verbs are inseparable)prefix verbs. German verbs !ith inseparable prefixes do not add the normal past participle prefix e) in the perfect tenses. %xamples: bekommen (to "et) hat0hatte bekommen; erwarten (to expect, a!ait) hat0hatte erwartet; verstehen (to understand) hat0hatte verstanden. 7 .ual or Variable Prefixes Separable0-nseparable Prefixes (7an be either one or the other) Prefix Meanin !xamples durch) throu"h durchdrinen (sep., penetrate) durchfahren (sep., drive throu"h) durchfressen (insep., eat throu"h -acid, rust, etc..) hinter) behind hinterlassen (insep., leave; be4ueath) hinterlassen (sep., allo! s.o. to "o behind) $ber) over, across $berfahren (insep., run over) $berfahren (sep., ferry across, cross over) $berfallen (insep., attack, hold up -a bank.) $berset"en (insep., translate) $berset"en (sep., ferry across) $berwinden (insep., overcome) um) around umarmen (insep., embrace, hu") umbauen (sep., renovate, convert) umbauen (insep., enclose, surround) umbinden (sep., tie on) umkehren (sep., turn back, turn inside out) umschreiben (sep., re!rite, transcribe) umschreiben (insep., paraphrase, outline; skate around -fi"..) um"iehen (sep., move -to ne! residence., chan"e -clothes.) unter) do!n unterbrechen (insep., interrupt, disconnect) unterbrinen (sep., accomodate) unterdr$cken (insep., oppress, repress, suppress) unterehen (sep., sink, perish) unternehmen (insep., do, undertake) unterwerfen (insep., con4uer, sub/u"ate) unter"eichnen (insep., si"n -a document.) wider) a"ainst, re) widerklinen (sep., resound) widerleen (insep., refute, disprove) widerraten (insep., advise0counsel a"ainst) widersprechen (insep., contradict) widertnen (sep., echo) wieder) a"ain wiedereben (insep., restore, "ive back; recite, perform; represent, reproduce, convey) wiederkehren (sep., return, repeat, recur) wiedersehen (sep., see0meet a"ain) %ote( 2ll of the dual verb prefixes are stressed !hen separable, unstressed !hen inseparable: berset"en (ferry across) vs. #bersetzen (translate). 8 )omments( .ual-Prefix ( Variable-Prefix ) Verbs n most cases, dual prefixes tend to be either mostly separable or inseparable. (or example, the prefix durch) is usually separable. ts use as an inseparable prefix is limited to only a fe! instances, such as the verbs durchfressen, to eat throu"h (chemically) or durchblit"en, to flash throu"h (one3s mind). ;n the other hand, the prefix $ber) is usually inseparable, as in $berset"en, to translate. ;thers, such as hinter), are used in very fe! verbs at all. So it is best to concentrate on learnin" the fe! exceptions for the dual prefixes. Simply learn those exceptional dual) prefix verbs as vocabulary. 2nother helpful "uideline concerns the meanin" of verbs !ith dual prefixes. f the verb is used in its literal sense ($berset"en, carry across, transfer), the prefix is separable. f the prefix is used in a fi"urative sense ($berset"en, to translate), the prefix is inseparable. The same verb spellin" can have different meanin"s. (or instance, !hen separable, umbauen means 5to renovate.5 6hen inseparable, umbauen means 5to enclose, surround5 (to build around). n spoken German, separable verb prefixes are stressed, !hile the inseparable prefixes are unstressed. This also applies to the dual prefixes, dependin" on !hether they are separable or inseparable. The form of the past participle for dual)prefix verbs also depends on !hether the prefix is separable or inseparable, as outlined on the previous pa"es. 9 S/MP0! S!%'!%)!S #elo! are sample sentences !ith separable (trennbar) and inseparable (untrennbar) prefixes. n the examples belo!, the separable or inseparable prefix is sho!n in red, as in anfanen (to be"in, sep.) or versprechen (to promise, insep.). %ach verb is sho!n !ith various pronouns0persons and in various tenses.
Separable Prefix Verbs Verb .eutsch English + r e s e n t T e n s e anfanen 6ann fanen !ir an9 $hen do %e begin& anfanen 6ann fnt sie an9 $hen does she begin& einatmen #itte atmen Sie tief ein. Please take a deep breath. + r e s . + e r f e c t T e n s e %&'!( Separable)prefix verbs use the normal past participle prefix e) in the perfect tenses. See the examples belo!. anfanen 6ann haben sie anefanen9 $hen did the' begin& + a s t + e r f e c t T e n s e anfanen 6ann hatten Sie anefanen9 $hen had 'ou begun& + a s t T e n s e anfanen 6ann finen !ir an9 $hen did %e begin& anfanen 6ann fin sie an9 $hen did she begin& 6 i t h < o d a l s anfanen '=nnen !ir heute anfanen9 (an %e begin toda'& 10 anfanen ch muss /et1t anfanen. ) have to begin no%. -nseparable Prefix Verbs Verb .eutsch English + r e s e n t T e n s e versprechen ch verspreche nichts. )*m not promising an'thing. versprechen 6as versprichst du mir9 $hat are 'ou promising me& + r e s . + e r f e c t T e n s e %&'!( nseparable)prefix verbs do not use the normal past participle prefix e) in the perfect tenses. See the examples belo!. versprechen 1as hast du mir versprochen2 $hat did 'ou promise me& 11